Hydrocarbons, such as oil and gas, are commonly obtained from subterranean formations that may be located onshore or offshore. The development of subterranean operations and the processes involved in removing hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation typically involve a number of different steps such as drilling a wellbore at a desired well site, treating the wellbore to optimize production of hydrocarbons, performing the necessary steps to produce the hydrocarbons from the subterranean formation, and pumping the hydrocarbons to the surface of the earth.
When performing subterranean operations, electrical submersible pumps (ESPs) may be used when reservoir pressure alone is insufficient to produce hydrocarbons from a well. ESPs may be installed on the end of a tubing string and inserted into a completed wellbore below the level of the hydrocarbon reservoir. An ESP may employ a centrifugal pump driven by an electric motor to draw reservoir fluids into the pump and to the surface.